Bayonne non-profit is accepting donations for Typhoon Haiyan relief

For the next five days, Blessed to Bless, a non-profit organization based in Bayonne, will hold a donation drive for victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

The organization will be collecting food, clothing and hygienic packs, today from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the 65 W. 15th St. First Filipino Baptist Church of Bayonne.

On Nov. 8, early in the morning the Philippines braced itself for one of the largest typhoons to hit the country -- a country that is no stranger to multiple typhoons throughout the year. The death toll from Friday's disaster is 1,774, but
officials say 10,000 people may be dead. The storm left nearly 2,487 more
injured since it made landfall last Friday. At least 800,000 are displaced, the
U.N. said.

Melissa Rada, 41, the organizer for the relief effort in Bayonne, said that volunteers will be present to help package the donated items for victims of the typhoon.

Rada said they'll be accepting foods that are easy to open: Canned goods, ready to eat food, energy bars, rice and coffee. They'll be accepting clothes for children and adults, along with hygienic packs including soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, detergent, and sanitary napkins. Blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, tents, tarps, flashlights, batteries, candles, and over the counter medicines like Tylenol and vitamins will be accepted. For babies and toddlers, the organization requests formula milk, diapers of any size, feeding bottles, and baby food.

Blessed to Bless will be taking donations on Nov. 13 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Nov. 15 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Nov. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., said Rada.

For financial donations Rada requests that checks are made out to 'B2B' and mailed to 65 W. 15th St., Bayonne, NJ 07002. The donations will go towards financing the shipments to Tacloban City and the surrounding areas affected by the typhoon.